From Dublin to Inishmore

Today is a travelling day - leaving Dublin on the east coast to Galway on the west coast by bus and arriving on Inishmore via ferry. It started off being pretty foggy but cleared up as the day got older. I tried taking photos from the bus but they never turn out very well.

 See? But I take them anyway....

 But I like the way this one turned out even with maximum zoom going on, the mountain in the background and a trickle of rain running down the bus window...and what is that man doing??

 ...and then look what happened! The clouds started breaking up...

 ...but not for long...

Almost at the ferry...

Here I am driving the ferry...or should that be ferrying the ferry? We're gonna go south!

I'm ferrying very fast!

HAHAHA just kidding.......yes, it is windy, why do you ask?

 Scenes from a ferry.... cormorants, I think, by the curve of their neck and white breast, can't see the beak unfortunately...

...a graveyard!

Almost there! The village of Kilronan.

Out of sync a little, but Annie and I befriended this lovely little lady when she asked for help with getting her suitcase onto the bus. Turns out she was headed to Inishmore as well. She was on the ferry with us and then when we were walking along a lonely country road the next day I saw this little figure coming towards us - and it was her once more so we stopped and had a lovely chat, she was very thankful for our help. I tell ya, Ireland is the place to be old in - the bus driver and the ferrymen just waved her on board - she would ask about a ticket and they'd just wave her off and tell her never mind. I think she made it from the start to the finish of her journey without lifting a finger or paying a penny!

We travelled from the ferry to our B&B in style!! Though definitely not for free!

The ferry...

Off the ferry goes, back to the mainland...the sky is brightening up again!

Glorious!

 My astute conclusion - the weather changes frequently!

I Miss You

Yes, I do, I miss you all.  I keep waiting til I get everything done around here...waiting for that "perfect moment" to blog. Well, guess what? It's never going to be the "perfect moment" so I need to accept that and continue on with my imperfect life and writing posts.

Last I wrote my darling Lilypad was sick due to being dehydrated and I was getting ready to go to Ireland. She gradually recovered and by the day I left she was running around again. Big sigh of relief. She's doing so well now that she has made a new friend with the kitty in the mirror.

 It's pretty adorable!

I have an office set up in my big bedroom upstairs (where I am now) but gradually over the past two years a lot of junk important stuff found its way downstairs to my living room and dining room creating a rather cluttered windswept look so I've been spending some time reorganizing my office-y space. Much better now. Lily likes to be wherever I am so she comes up to my office/bedroom and makes eyes at herself in the mirror.

We've been having some lovely weather and Lily continues her dream of becoming a free range cat. She has figured out that if she climbs on top of the BBQ she can look over the fence. She's pretty obedient thankfully and all I have to do is say her name and she climbs back down...temporarily. 

Annie and I had a pretty amazing trip spending time in Dublin, Galway, Inis Mor (one of the Aran Islands), Cork/Blarney and a few other places along the way. I'll start posting some photos soon (you can also check on FB if we're friends, and if we're not...why not? ) Send me a friend request! (Jane Harrison)

I've changed my blog header photo to a pretty amazing photo of Killary Harbour (a fjord!!), now one of my favourite places in the world including the little village at the end of it - Leenane. We took so many pictures as we walked along the harbour it's a wonder we ever made it to Leenane!

So much to tell you! Must catch up with you all too - I'm sure you haven't been doing nothing over the past couple of months!

We were always so happy so see our friend and way marker "The Little Yellow Man"
for then we knew we weren't lost!!

Look out Ireland!!

In case you haven't heard, or read, Annie and I are off to Ireland this year!!! Right now it doesn't seem real (other than the charges already appearing on my Mastercard!!) Last week Annie and I spent the better part of 3 or 4 days checking out places to stay, trains, flights, spots we didn't want to miss (the Blarney Stone!) etc.

There is so much to see and do in Dublin!

Skeletal remains anyone?  

Guess what I'll be bringing home?

As it stands now we will have a few days in Dublin, then we travel by train to Galway where we catch a bus to the ferry which will take us to Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands where we stay for a couple of nights. We will cycle our way around the island visiting Dun Aonghusa, a circular fort perched on top of a cliff among other medieval sites!

Annie - we have to eat in Druid Lane (Galway)! 

The cliffs are magnificent!

Galway is the 4th largest city in Ireland.

This shows the trip from Galway to Inverin where we take
the ferry to Inis Mor

Dun Aonghusa - a circular stone fort

From there we will be taken by taxi to where our walk begins - Oughterard, on the mainland. Over the next 7 days we will walk 122km of The Western Way ending up in Westport. We spend the night in Westport and then take a train back to beautiful Galway where we spend a few nights and explore the city and western Ireland.

After Galway we head to Cork which is on the east coast. Staying in Cork for a couple of days gives us time to visit nearby Blarney Castle home of the infamous Blarney Stone! From Cork it's about 3.5 hours back to Dublin.

This map shows our trek beginning in Oughterard (bottom right)
to Westport in the middle. You can see the trail continues on.

I'd better keep doing my yoga!!

Cork looks AMAZING! 

and VERY colourful!

So far I've paid for my flight - I got a great price - $709.00(Cdn) with one brief stopover on my way over at Heathrow and then non-stop on the way home. I paid for very comprehensive insurance this time around - it costs more but puts my mind at ease. I know of two hikers who had to cancel their trips last fall due to injuries. And I've paid for our Galway B&B which was $102 (plus fees) for a total of $342 Cdn. Of course that's split between the two of us so it's not so bad. We were firm in wanting 2 beds to rest our weary bones on :) And we get breakfast included :) :)

Two beds! 

Quaint!

Pretty post!

We are busily saving our pennies and are travelling the last week of August and first 2 weeks (approx) of September. Why is it though that the euro is rising?!? Grrrrr! Despite that I'm very excited in our upcoming adventure! We wanted more of a balance this time around between hiking and having the time to explore more. I think it's going to be fantastic!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!

Phew! I had to let that out; now I feel much better. What's going on?

ANNIE AND I ARE GOING TO IRELAND!!! THAT'S WHAT!!

We'll be meeting up in Dublin, spending a few nights there, travelling across country to Galway on the west coast, spending a couple days on the largest of the Aran islands, then walking northwest of Galway ending up in Westport.  We'll go back to Galway spending a couple of nights, then heading to Blarney & Cork (have to kiss the Blarney Stone!) and then heading back to Dublin. What a trip!

More details to come! Wheeeeeeee!

Photos of my recent thrift store finds (by popular request!):

My new flannel sheet set - washed and on my bed already! Brand new - perhaps someone received them as a gift and doesn't like horses - who doesn't love horses?? Anyhoo I'm sleeping great for just a few dollars!

 A wispy summer top (50% off)!

 I like the little zipper detail in front.

 I love asymmetrical hemlines - this top fits well and looks great!

This has a similar hemline in black and white; very flattering. Also 50% off!

 My new black, grey and white quilt - $9.99 - I would have paid more, but glad I didn't have to. It's getting the sniff test by Luna and then she tests it for nap time coziness - PASS!

My favourite find - a green/blue/gold paisley blanket backed with sheepskin - oh so cozy! $5.00!!

Finally - what the heck is going on with the weather??  Looks like I could soon be seeing daffodils and snow drops! I took a lovely walk today in +6c weather and got HOT! Last year at this time we were in the deep freeze - around -20c and lower with the wind chill. Today's weather felt wonderful but makes me uneasy. Mother Nature will make us pay...somehow!

There were a couple more items - a few of those specialty hangers that hold 10 items and a huge piece of cloth as a gift for my friend Julie, the banner maker.

Oh, I bought another Christmas present today! At this rate I'll be done shopping by summer :)  I was at  Michael's buying yarn, on sale for only $1.49 per ball, to make Christmas scarves (I am on top of things!!) and I saw a bunch of science kits for making crystals among other things. Well, my great nephew, Ollie, loves rocks, fossils and things of that nature. (I gave him some fossilized POOP for Christmas - what little boy doesn't love fossilized poop!!) I had a coupon for 20% off of my whole order as well as the 10% off senior's discount. I'm on FIRE!!